The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus applicable to a so-called multi-media copying machine having not only a function of copying a paper document on a paper which is the major function of an ordinary digital copier but also a function of copying a medium of one kind on a medium of another kind.
A recent achievement in the realm of imaging art is a multi-media copying machine having the above-described functions. A specific function available with such a copier is reproducing data stored in a floppy disk on a paper. In general, document files stored in a floppy disk by a computer or a word processor have a particular data format which in many cases depends upon the type of the computer or word processor. Therefore, the disk-to-paper copying function or the paper-to-disk copying function stated above cannot be implemented unless use is made of a computer or a word processor which was used to store data files in that floppy disk and an image scanner or a printer. Difficulty has heretofore been experienced in implementing such a kind of copying operation. Further, document files accommodated in a floppy disk or similar medium are generally formatted in a particular paper size and, hence, data in the disk cannot be reproduced on a paper of different size without editing the data again by using a computer or a word processor which was used to file such data.